Omnipresence

[Bree Fletcher]

“Hm. That would be something worth finding out later, wouldn’t it?” The speaker was a man of rather short stature, who had revealed himself from between the shadows of two buildings in much the same way Kip had earlier. It seemed that the dark streets f Magnamin offered no end of concealment for the sufficiently careful. He wore a navy blue beret and when he smiled—or perhaps “bared his teeth” would be more accurate—a set of otherwise brilliant white teeth revealed a number of gaping holes. There was a dagger in his hand, pointed low near Kip’s gut.

From behind the first, four more shadows slithered around Kip and Fetime, armed with various sharp or heavy objects. Kip’s eyes darted around desperately for Maggred, and were finally rewarded with the image of the marine tracking through Kip’s previous route and the muffled clink of a chain. Kip hoped that none of the thugs had heard it.

“Come, come with us,” the gap-toothed one said with false cheer. He gave Kip a slight prod with his dagger while one of his associates threatened Fetime similarly.

Then Maggred’s chain lashed out and yanked one of the thugs to the ground. The marine then grabbed his rifle and pointed it at their leader. “Get away from them. Right now.”

“Is that even loaded?” the leader smirked.

“Want to find out?” Maggred countered.

“You’ve got one bullet. I’ve got you’re friend.” The leader yanked Kip in front of him as a shield.

“Valid point…” Maggred said. He tuned and ran the other direction.



The fitters are leaving now, Elisai noted. She hoped that that would at least try to lighten the mood a little. Why must it be that even a short absence of their charges put everyone on edge?

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you… Davai muttered, to no one in particular.

Good, Zanai said. I am sure nobody likes them. They hardly deserve to touch this ship, for how they treat us and ours. Did you know that-

There must be someone that does, Melissai cut in, just to be contradictory. They must have friends, or at the very least a mother that can love them.

Melissai, please save it for later, Elisai snapped.

Nobody that matters likes them, Zanai corrected. They do have no respect for us. As I was saying, one of them had the audacity to demand something of Lieutenant Basya earlier, while my charge was clearly leaving on his own business, which must have been more important than removing himself from the path of that civilian…

Did Lieutenant Basya not oblige the fitter? And did he not even retrieve a dropped bolt for the fitter? Melissai asked. This time, Elisai decided to say nothing. When she was in the right mindset to needle another Advisor at every turn, there was little anyone could say to prevent her from carrying through. Besides, Elisai rather enjoyed seeing Zanai rattled like this. She just hoped Melissai wouldn’t take it too far. There were limits, after all.

That is not the point! Davai said. Just because… just because Lieutenant Basya is kind to these toads does not mean that they deserve it! There are so few left, even in our own country… that… that can see the obvious need there is for their support of us! They are beginning to hate us out there, do you not see? They will destroy themselves by refusing what is right for their nation! And the best I can do is to continue to advise my charge! That is—that is… that is not enough.

That was it. That’s what had been nagging at Elisai’s thoughts. That was the reason why the Advisors were not entirely together when their charges were gone. It was the helplessness, the sheer feeling of impotence that they felt, with no hands to work with, with no feet to walk with, with hardly a mouth to speak with.

You were not always like this, Elisai said.

It was an almost physical sensation—not that any of the Advisors really had any—of the others leaving Elisai to go stare through this eye or that. They didn’t want to be involved in the conversation anymore, that was certain. But Elisa kept talking.